Key support



May 28, 1935. R. c. LEGAT 2,002,858

KEY SUPPORT Filed Aug. 19, 1932 Patented May 28, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE KEY SUPPORT Application August 19,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in key supporting arrangementsparticularly adapted to be employed in key cases, for example of theconventional leather type. The present invention particularly affordsimproved supporting means of the general character disclosed in theUnited States patent to George E. Prentice No. 1,564,021 and my priorPatent No. 1,564,004, said supporting means, however, being adapted topermit the application of a key to a supportmg hanger with greaterfacility, to permit the more convenient selectlon of a key from thegroup of keys supported by the case, and to facilitate the flatdisposition of the keys within the case, so that there is littletendency for objectionable bunching or overlapping of the keys. Theprior patents identified above disclose key supporting means includinghangers having swiveled and substantially universal joint connectionswith the supporting plate to permit the convenient movement of anyindividual key in relation to the plate, and thus to facilitateselection of an individual key and its insertion in a suitable keyhole.

The present invention not only retains this advantageous arrangement,but also aflords an improved iorm of hunger which is provided with sucha shape that it permits the ready engagement of a key with the resilienthook or hanger despite the swiveled supporting of the hook upon theplate. Furthermore, the present invention affords an improved supportingplate which is particularly advantageous with swiveled supporting meansof the type referred to in facilitating the positioning of the hangersin normal side by side relationship within the casing, so that theynormally are prevented from ohiectionably moving into overlappedrelationship, and so that the keys supported thereby tend to groupthemselves into a relatively flat assembly, rather than objectionablylaunching, catching upon each other, and the like. The supporting platealso particularly cooperates with the improved form of hanger infacilitating the engagement of a key with a selected hanger.

To permit these desirable results, each hanger is provided with anoutwardly bowed end portion, which has the general term of a peripheralpor tion of a circle, and with a corresponding shank portion whichcooperates in providing a. recess of substantial size in which the endof a key may readily be received so that the key is guided into aposition to spread the legs of the resilient hangor and is thus broughtinto proper engagement therewith.

Furthermore, the supporting plate is provided 1932, Serial No. 629,470

with a plurality of spacers or outwardly bowed portions below the loops,which engage the hanger supports, these bowed portions being eifectlvein maintaining the hanger supports in spaced parallelism when the keysare in their normal position within the case.

Due to the swiveled mounting of the hanger supports, the hangers andkeys may be readily swung away from. this position when the case isopened to facilitate selection of any desired key, and its insertionwithin a keyhole.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of my improved key hanger assemblyshowing the same secured to a conventional enclosing case, the latterbeing in its open position and certain hangers being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the hanger assembly shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view onthelinefl-JoiFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a blank from which the improved hangersupporting plate may be formed;

Fig. 5 is an elevaticnal view showing the mannor in which the hangersupports may be maintained in parallelism, or if desired, any selectedsupport may be swung out of such a position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing a. hanger support and relatedparts; and

Fig. 7 is an elevational detail showing the form of a blank from whicha. hanger support may be made.

Referring to the drawing, numeral l indicates a conventional key casewhich may be formed of leather or the like and is provided with a bodyportion to which a supporting plate I6 is secured by fastening elementssuch as rivets I l, the case being provided with flaps 12, whichnormally are Iastened in overlapping position when the case is closed.

In accordance with this invention, the plate [9 may be formed irom aflat sheet metal blank ill of the general character illustrated in Fig.4. This blank is provided with a plurality of parallel fingers Mproiecting from its upper edge, and has opposite outstanding ears l5which preferably have a greater width at their outer extremities than attheir regions of juncture with the body portion of the blank. Beneaththe fingers It, as shown in Fig. 4, the blank may be provided with aplurality of rectangular openings I9 sepstated by parallel metal barportions 2i. Adjoining the ends of the blank, openings 01' morerestricted size, designated by reference character 19 may be provided,and tabs 2| having openings therein may be provided so that bars Zo areafforded adjoining the end of the blank similar to the bars in theintermediate part thereof.

A blank of the character illustrated in Fig. l, may then be shaped sothat the bars 2!) are bowed inwardly from the general plane of theblank, and so that the fingers 14 are bent down wardly and inwardly toafford loops, whilethe ears l5 may be bent inwardly at right angles tothe general plane of the blank, so that their outer extremities liesubstantially in the plane of the rear face of the planar body portionof the blank. Thus, for example, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the blankis provided with a plurality of outwardly bowed bars 29 formed from thebar portions 2'. with abutment elements It: at either end of the bowedportion adapted to engage the surface of the case I, and with aplurality of loops 14 to support the ends of the hangersupports. Thetabs 2 i of the blank are retained as tabs 2! (Figs. 1 and 3) in thegeneral plane of the blank, and thus may engage the body portion of thecasing and receive the rivets H at each side of the supporting plate.

Each loop is preferably engages a hanger support of the character whichis described in the above-identified patents. The lower end of eachhanger support engages a, hanger 33 which may be in the general form ofa resilient wire hook having one leg terminating slightly below thehanger support.

As more fully described in the above-identified patents, the upper endof each hanger may be provided with a wire eye or loop I disposed withina ball-like recess 32 in a hanger support 25. The latter is preferablyformed from a flat blank 25 having a body portion which is substantiallysquare but provided with a central opening 28* and with diagonallyopposite perforated ears 2]. This blank is bent into a suitable form toafford a substantially ball-like recess which receives the hanger eye 3|with the perforated portions 27" registering with each other and engagedby a loop (4 of the supporting plate. Below the eye or ball-like portion3! the hanger 30 is provided with an inwardly bowed or bulged portion 34(Fig. 6) which has a curvature that may substantially correspond to thatof the portion of a circle. Below the bulged portion 34 the hanger isprovided with a loop 36, and the opposite leg thereof inclines upwardlyand inwardly to provide a portion juxtaposed to the part of the wirebelow the bulge 34. Above this portion of the shorter leg is anoutwardly curved or bulged end portion 38 having a curvaturesubstantially corresponding to that of the bowed portion 34. Thus theportions 34 and 38 cooperate in providing a keyreceivlng recess in whichthe end portion of the key is readily received despite the swiveledmounting of the hanger.

As shown in Fig. 5, the hanger supports 25 normally tend to lie betweenthe spacing bars 20, either under the action of gravity or due to theretaining effect of the flaps l2 when the case is closed. When the caseis opened, however, one of the keys may be picked out and swung aboutits connection to the plate, so that the hanger support no longer liesbetween the adjoining bars 20, thus permitting the swinging of thehanger in any desired direction. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5,the support upon the left of the assembly is thus moved out of itsnormal position in relation to the supporting plate.

The initial engagement of a key with a hanger is facilitated by thearrangement of the spacing bars 26. The hanger support may be held inthe recess between the corresponding spacers 20 by one hand and the keyengaged with the recessed end of the hanger with the other hand whilethe bars prevent objectionable lateral movement or swiveling of thehanger. For this purpose the supporting plate and hanger support may begripped between'the thumb and forefinger of one hand while the key isbrought into initial engagement with the bulged portions 34 and 38 ofthe hanger with the other hand, and is pressed downwardly to spread thejuxtaposed portions of the hanger apart so that the key is readilybrought into engagement wtih the bottom loop portion of the hanger.Similarly when a key is to be disengaged from its hanger, the retentionof the hanger support between the spacer bars is advantageous. It isaccordingly evident that the present invention permits the advantageousfreedom of movement of the key hangers and keys, which is acharacteristic of key supporting assemblies constructed in accordancewith the above-identified Prentice and Legat patents, but

that objectionable freedom of movement will be avoided when a key is tobe engaged with or disengaged from the hanger or when the case is closedand the keys are being carried in a pocket, pocketbook or the like.

I claim:

1. A key supporting assembly for key cases or the like, comprising a.supporting plate having a generally planar body portion and having anoutwardly bowed portion above said body portion 1 and extending betweenits opposite sides, openings in said bowed portion between a pluralityof bowed bar portions, key hangers having upper ends with swiveledconnections to the upper part of said plate including loops above saidbowed portion, the bar portions being arranged so that they normallyhold the upper ends of the hangers in mutually spaced relation when thelower parts of the hangers lie in juxtaposition to the body portion ofthe plate, and fastening tabs to secure the plate to a case or the like,said tabs being disposed between certain of said bar portions and lyingin the plane of said body portion.

2. A key supporting assembly for a key case or the like comprising asupporting plate having a generally planar body portion with fingersupon its upper edge bent over to afiord loops and having an outwardlybowed portion between said fingers and said body portion, openings insaid bowed portion between a plurality of bowed spacer bars, hangersupports having eyes in swiveled engagement with said loops, and keyhangers of resilient wire, said hangers each having a generally ball andsocket-like engagement with a corresponding hanger support, the spacerbars being arranged so that they normally hold the hanger supports inmutually spaced relation when the lower parts of the hangers lie injuxtaposition to the planar body portion of the plate.

3. A key supporting assembly for a key case or the like comprising asupporting plate having a generally planar body portion with fingersupon its upper edge bent over to afiord loops, and having an outwardlybowed portion between said fingers and said body portion, openings insaid bowed portion between a plurality of bowed spacer bars, hangersupports having eyes in swiveled engagement with said loops, and keyhangers of resilient wire, said hangers each having a generally ball andsocket-like engagement with a corresponding ill) hanger support, thespacer bars being arranged so that they normally hold the hangersupports in mutually spaced relation when the lower parts of the hangerslie in juxtaposition to the planar body portion of the plate, each ofsaid hangers being in the general form of a hook with one leg connectedto the corresponding hanger support and the other leg having a free endto engage the end of a key, said last-named leg having a bowed portionadjoining its free end to afiord an enlargement to facilitate theengagement with a key.

4. A key supporting assembly for a key case or the like comprising asupporting plate having a generally planar body portion with fingersupon its upper edge bent over to afford loops and having an outwardlybowed portion between said fingers and said body portion, openings insaid bowed portion between a plurality of bowed spacer bars, hangersupports having eyes in swiveled engagement with said loops, and keyhangers of resilient wire, said hangers each having a generally ball andsocket-like engagement with a corresponding hanger support, the spacerbars being arranged so that they normally hold the hanger supports inmutually spaced relation when the lower parts of the hangers lie injuxtaposition to the planar body portion of the plate, each of saidhangers being in the general form of a hook with one leg connected tothe corresponding hanger support and the other leg having a free end toengage the end of a key, said last-named leg having a bowed portionadjoining its free end to afl'ord an enlargement to facilitate theengagement with a key, the other leg of each hanger having an oppositelybowed portion cooperating with the first-named bowed-in portion inaffording a recess or enlargement to receive a key when it is initiallyengaged with a hanger.

5. A key-supporting assembly for key cases or the like comprising asheet metal supporting plate, pivot means at the upper margin of theplate including spaced tubular loop portions of the plate, a pluralityof key hangers, hanger supports swiveled to said means and each havingan articulated connection with the upper end of one of the hangers, eacharticulated connection permitting limited universal movement of thehanger and its support, said plate having spacer bars bowed outwardlybelow said loop portions to lie between the supports and normally holdthe same substantially parallel so that the upper ends of the hangersare maintained in spaced relation.

6. A key-supporting assembly for key cases or the like comprising asheet metal supporting plate, a plurality of key hangers, articulatedconnections between the hangers and plate including loop portions of theplate at its upper margin, said plate having spacer bars bowed outwardlybelow said loop portions to hold the upper parts of the hangers inspaced relation when the hangers are juxtaposed to the lower part of theplate.

ROBERT C. LEGAT.

